Method of Producing Hydrogen Gas from Water

ABSTRACT

A method for producing hydrogen gas from distilled water or sea water. The method includes providing a housing with a volume of distilled water, adding sulfuric acid or copper sulfate to the distilled water, running a current between a cathode and an anode via an electrical connection disposed within the electrolyte chamber, and collecting the hydrogen gas that rises to the top of the housing. The present invention provides a reproducible cheap alternative fuel source for all industries where currently solid, liquid, gas and nuclear material are used as fuel.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/993,525 filed on May 15, 2014. The above identified patent application is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method of producing hydrogen gas, and more particularly to a method of producing hydrogen gas from distilled water or sea water using an electrolytic process to provide an alternative fuel source for automobiles and all other industries where solid, liquid, gas and nuclear material are used as a fuel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As the cost of fossil fuels increase and become more scarce due to continuous demand, there is an increasing need to develop alternative fuel sources. The alternative fuel sources must be cheap and commercially available before the world's supply of fossil fuels are completely depleted or become too expensive. Additionally, burning fossil fuels contributes to a substantial portion of the world's pollution, resulting in a negative effect on the environment. Therefore, there is also a need for an alternative fuel source that is clean burning and does not pollute to the degree of fossil fuels.

For that reason, a process for extracting hydrogen gas from water is an important technology to replace fossil fuels and may become increasingly critical as an alternative energy source. Various methods of producing hydrogen gas utilizing sulfuric acid, water, and electrolysis have been disclosed in the prior art. Particularly, electrolysis of water for the production of hydrogen and oxygen is a common method for producing hydrogen. By providing energy from a battery, water (H₂O) can be dissociated into the diatomic molecules of hydrogen (H₂) and oxygen (O₂). In electrolysis, a direct current is passed through an aqueous electrolyte, usually a solution of caustic soda or caustic potash. Hydrogen is deposited at the cathode or negative electrode and oxygen at the anode or positive electrode.

Unfortunately, commercial applications of water electrolysis are inefficient and energy-intensive processes. Pure water is a good insulator and under simple or normal electrolysis conditions, pure water creates little dissociated products. Current technologies attempt to address these issues by adding a water-soluble electrolyte, which causes the conductivity of the water to rise considerably. The electrolyte disassociates into cations and anions; the anions move towards the anode and neutralize the buildup of positively charged H+ ions and the cations move towards the cathode and neutralize the buildup of negatively charged OH- ions. This allows the continued flow of electricity. However, there are numerous problems associated with electrolytes within the reaction cell. Specifically, an electrolyte anion with less standard electrode potential than hydroxide will be oxidized instead of the hydroxide, and no oxygen gas will be produced; where as a cation with a greater standard electrode potential than a hydrogen ion will be reduced instead and no hydrogen gas will be produced. In all water electrolysis cases where electrolytes are used, the gaseous product effluents are extremely corrosive and create numerous application problems.

Therefore, there is a need for a process that efficiently dissociates water into hydrogen gas and oxygen gas, which is reproducible as an alternate fuel source.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of methods of producing hydrogen gas now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved method for producing hydrogen gas wherein the hydrogen gas can be utilized as an alternative fuel source.

The present invention is contrived to solve the above problems, and a first object of the present invention is to provide a hydrogen gas production method in which continuous processing can be performed and, secondly, modifying the electrolytic solution such that an inexpensive process can be achieved.

The present invention relates to a method of producing hydrogen gas. The method includes: providing a housing; adding a volume of distilled water to the housing; adding an electrolyte to the distilled water contained in the electrolyte chamber; running a current between a cathode and an anode via an electrical connection disposed within the electrolyte chamber; and collecting the hydrogen gas rising from the housing.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method wherein the electrolyte added to the distilled water in the housing may comprise copper sulfate or sulfuric acid.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a method wherein the circuit may include a first electrode, a second electrode and an electrical connection between the first electrode and the second electrode such that electricity will flow therethrough.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of producing hydrogen gas, wherein the first electrode comprises nickel and the second electrode comprises copper.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method of producing hydrogen gas, wherein in the first electrode is a cathode and the second electrode is an anode.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method of producing hydrogen gas, the method capable of maintaining the hydrogen gas generated at the cathode at a sufficient pressure to prevent the hydrogen gas from diffusing back into the electrolyte solution.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method of producing hydrogen gas, wherein the hydrogen gas produced at the cathode is collected in a gas chamber and the oxygen produced at the anode is purged from the housing.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method of producing hydrogen gas, the method capable of applying a direct current electrical potential to the first electrode and second electrode, whereby the distilled water in the electrolyte is dissociated to produce hydrogen gas at the first electrode and oxygen gas at the second electrode.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method of producing hydrogen gas, the method capable of exhausting the gas produced at the second electrolyte from the electrolyte chamber.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method of producing hydrogen gas, the method capable of continuously circulating fresh copper sulfate or sulfuric acid to the electrolyte chamber. The copper sulfate and sulfuric acid are good conductors of electricity.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method of producing hydrogen gas, the method capable of collecting the hydrogen gas produced at the first electrode before it diffuses into the contents of the housing.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method of producing hydrogen gas, collecting the oxygen gas produced at the second electrode in a second gas chamber.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method of producing hydrogen gas, wherein the circuit comprises a plurality of cathodes and a plurality of anodes arranged in a series.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram illustrating a housing used to produce hydrogen gas according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a housing for producing hydrogen gas with a plurality of anodes and cathodes arranged in a series to produce hydrogen gas according to one embodiment of the present invention

FIG. 3 shows a flow chart of the method of producing hydrogen gas according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows a flow chart of the method of producing hydrogen gas according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the method for producing hydrogen gas. For the purposes of presenting a brief and clear description of the present invention, the preferred embodiment will be discussed as used for providing a continuous process of generating hydrogen gas. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a schematic diagram of the housing which is used to produce the hydrogen gas according to one embodiment of the present invention. The housing 102 comprises a gas chamber 104 and an electrolyte chamber 106. The hydrogen gas produced by the electrolytic process rises to the gas chamber 104 and then the hydrogen gas is collected therefrom. The gas chamber 104 further comprise a separations unit 122 to extract pure hydrogen gas from the mixture in the gas chamber 104. The separations unit 122 seperates the hydrogen from the gas mixture via steam reformation. Oxygen gas is also generated as a byproduct of the electrolytic process and may also rise to the gas chamber 104.

The housing 102 may further include an electrolytic solution 108 in the electrolyte chamber 106 of the housing 102. The electrolyte solution 108 may comprise distilled water and an electrolyte. It is also contemplated that sea water can be used, however, distilled water enhances the process and life of the electrodes. The electrolyte added to the distilled water may include, but is not limited to, sodium hydroxide, sodium chloride, brine, potassium hydroxide, copper sulfate, sulfuric acid and other acids and bases. It is preferable that that electrolyte added to the distilled water is either copper sulfate or sulfuric acid.

A circuit 110 may be disposed in the electrolyte chamber 106 of the housing 102. The circuit 110 may include a cathode 112, an anode 114, and an electrical connection 116. The electrical connection 116 connects the cathode 112 and the anode 114, forming the circuit 110. Electricity flows from the cathode 112 to the anode 114, whereby the distilled water in the electrolyte solution is dissociated to produce hydrogen gas at the cathode and oxygen gas at the anode. The circuit may further include an electrical supply 118 and a circuit breaker 120.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a schematic diagram illustrating a housing for producing hydrogen gas with a series of anodes and cathodes to produce the hydrogen gas according to one embodiment of the present invention. The housing 200 may include an electrolyte chamber 202, a first gas chamber 204, and second gas chamber 206. The first gas chamber 204 collects hydrogen gas and the second gas chamber 206 collects the oxygen gas. In one embodiment, the oxygen gas produced is purged from the housing.

The housing may further include a plurality of cathodes 210 and a plurality of anodes 212, and a plurality of electrical connections 214, for example an insulated copper wire, to form a circuit 216. The circuit 216 comprising the cathodes 210, the anodes 212, and electrical connections 214, are submerged in the electrolytic solution contained in the electrolyte chamber 202.

The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 utilizes anodes 212 and cathodes 210 arranged in a series to produce hydrogen gas. The series arrangement increases the efficiency of the reaction and allows hydrogen gas to be generated at a higher volume. It is also contemplated that the circuit 216 can be arranged in a parallel arrangement for a more compact design.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, a method 300 of producing hydrogen gas from distilled water includes the steps of providing 302 a housing comprising a gas chamber and an electrolyte chamber; adding 304 a volume of distilled water to the electrolyte chamber of the housing; adding 306 an electrolyte to the distilled water contained in the electrolyte chamber; providing 308 a circuit within the electrolyte chamber; and collecting 312 the hydrogen gas in the gas chamber of the housing.

In step 306 of adding an electrolyte to the distilled water contained in the electrolyte chamber, it is preferable that the electrolyte disassociates to an anion with a higher standard electrode potential than hydroxide and a cation with a greater standard electrode potential than a hydrogen ion. This ensures that both oxygen and hydrogen will be produced from the electrolysis process. Preferably, the electrolyte added to the distilled water in the electrolyte chamber is copper sulfate or sulfuric acid. The method produces hydrogen gas from an electrolytic solution comprising either: 1) distilled water and sulfuric acid; or 2) distilled water and copper sulfate.

The circuit provided in step 308 comprises a first electrode, a second electrode and an electrical connection between the first electrode and the second electrode. The first electrode and the second electrode may comprise copper or nickel. An electrical potential flows between the first electrode and second electrode whereby the distilled water in the electrolyte is dissociated to produce hydrogen gas at the first electrode and oxygen gas at the second electrode. It is preferable that the first electrode is a cathode and the second electrode is an anode. When the water disassociates, hydrogen gas is collected from the cathode and oxygen gas is collected from the anode. The hydrogen gas produced at the cathode may be collected in the gas chamber of the housing and the oxygen produced at the anode may be purged from the housing, and released into the atmosphere. The circuit may include a plurality of cathodes and a plurality of anodes arranged in a series.

Further, the circuit may include an electrical supply to apply a direct current electrical potential to the first electrode and second electrode causing the distilled water in the electrolyte to dissociate to produce hydrogen gas at the first electrode and oxygen gas at the second electrode.

The method may further include maintaining 310 the hydrogen gas generated at the cathode at a sufficient pressure to prevent the hydrogen gas from diffusing back into the solution. Further, the method may include exhausting 314 the gas produced at the second electrolyte from the electrolyte chamber. The method may further include continuously circulating 316 fresh copper sulfate or sulfuric acid to the electrolyte chamber.

Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown a method 400 of producing hydrogen gas from distilled water including the steps of providing 402 a housing comprising a first gas chamber, a second gas chamber and an electrolyte chamber. The first gas chamber collects hydrogen gas and the second gas chamber collects oxygen. After step 402, the method includes adding 404 a predetermined volume of distilled water to the electrolyte chamber of the housing.

After step 404, the method includes adding 406 an electrolyte to the distilled water contained in the electrolyte chamber. The mixture of the distilled water and the electrolyte forms an electrolytic solution. The electrolyte added to the distilled water may be selected from a group consisting of copper sulfate and sulfuric acid.

After step 406, the method further includes providing 408 a circuit within the electrolyte chamber. The circuit comprises a plurality of cathodes, a plurality of anodes and an electrical connection between each cathode and anode. The electrical connection between the cathode the anode allows electricity to flow through.

After step 408, the method further includes applying 410 a direct current electrical potential to the first electrode and second electrode. The distilled water in the electrolyte is dissociated to produce hydrogen gas at the first electrode and oxygen gas at the second electrode.

After step 410, the method further includes maintaining 412 the hydrogen gas generated at the cathode at a sufficient pressure to prevent the hydrogen gas from diffusing back into the electrolytic solution. The pressure is maintained by providing a pressurized container that is pressurized above the hydrogen gas disassociation constant. After step 412, the method further includes collecting 414 the hydrogen gas in the first gas chamber of the housing and collecting 416 the oxygen gas produced in a second gas chamber.

It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown and described in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention. 

I claim:
 1. A method of producing hydrogen gas from water, comprising: providing a housing comprising a gas chamber and an electrolyte chamber; adding a volume of distilled water to the electrolyte chamber of the housing; adding an electrolyte to the distilled water contained in the electrolyte chamber, wherein the electrolyte comprises copper sulfate or sulfuric acid; running a current between a cathode and an anode via an electrical connection disposed within the electrolyte chamber, wherein the electrical connection allows electricity to flow between the first electrode and the second electrode; and collecting the hydrogen gas in the gas chamber of the housing.
 2. The method claim 1, wherein the first electrode comprises nickel and the second electrode comprises copper.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein in the first electrode is a cathode and the second electrode is an anode.
 4. The method for of claim 3, wherein the hydrogen gas produced at the cathode is collected in the gas chamber and the oxygen produced at the anode is purged from the housing.
 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining the hydrogen gas generated at a sufficient pressure to prevent the hydrogen gas from diffusing back into the solution.
 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying a direct current electrical potential to the first electrode and second electrode whereby the distilled water in the electrolyte is dissociated to produce hydrogen gas at the first electrode and oxygen gas at the second electrode.
 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising exhausting the gas produced at the second electrolyte from the electrolyte chamber.
 8. The method claim 1, further comprising continuously circulating fresh copper sulfate or sulfuric acid to the electrolyte chamber.
 9. The method of claim 1, further comprising collecting the oxygen gas produced at the second electrode in a second gas chamber.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the circuit comprises a plurality of cathodes and a plurality of anodes arranged in a series.
 11. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding a volume of sea water to the electrolyte chamber of the housing.
 12. A method of producing hydrogen gas from water, comprising: providing a housing comprising a first gas chamber, a second gas chamber and an electrolyte chamber, wherein the first gas chamber collects hydrogen gas and the second gas chamber collects oxygen gas; adding a predetermined volume of distilled water to the electrolyte chamber of the housing; adding an electrolyte to the distilled water in the electrolyte chamber, wherein a mixture of the distilled water and the electrolyte forms an electrolytic solution, wherein the electrolyte is selected from a group consisting of copper sulfate and sulfuric acid; providing a circuit within the electrolyte chamber, wherein the circuit comprises a plurality of cathodes, a plurality of anodes and an electrical connection between each cathode and anode such that electricity will flow there through; maintaining the hydrogen gas generated at the cathode at a sufficient pressure to prevent the hydrogen gas from diffusing back into the electrolytic solution; and collecting the hydrogen gas in the first gas chamber of the housing.
 13. The method of claim 11 further comprising applying a direct current electrical potential to the cathode and the anode whereby the distilled water in the electrolyte is dissociated to produce hydrogen gas at the cathode and oxygen gas at the anode electrode.
 14. The method for of claim 11, wherein the hydrogen gas generated at the cathode is collected in the first gas chamber and the oxygen produced at the anode is collected in the second gas chamber.
 15. The method claim 11, wherein the cathode comprises copper and the anode comprises nickel.
 16. The method claim 11, further comprising continuously circulating fresh copper sulfate or sulfuric acid to the electrolyte chamber.
 17. The method of claim 11, further comprising collecting the hydrogen gas produced at the cathode before it diffuses into the contents of the housing.
 18. The method of claim 11, wherein the circuit comprises a plurality of cathodes and a plurality of anodes arranged in a series. 